No matter how skilled you are, when it comes to cooking there is always something new to learn. When...

1. Get Better Results From Your Time In The Kitchen With
These Simple Tips
No matter how skilled you are, when it comes to cooking there is always something new to learn.
When you feel comfortable with the basics, you can start trying to create your own recipes. If you
combine these tips, you'll be able to create all kinds of new flavors in your cooking.
Cool, dark and dry places are ideal for keeping herbs and spices. Warmth, humidity and light will
make them stale and unflavorful. Ground spices typically maintain their flavor for around a year.
Whole spices can keep their flavor for up to five years. When spices are stored in the correct
manner, they will stay fresh for much longer.
Finish your prep work in advance. Before you start making your food, it is a good thing to have
everything prepared. Trying to cook a meal that has to be on the table by a certain time can be
stressful. Prep work helps take the stress out of meal planning and preparing.
It is extremely important to prepare your ingredients before you begin cooking your meal for a
group. Save yourself time and trouble by having all your ingredients ready. Set all of the non-
perishable ingredients and utensils out the day ahead. This will allow you to cook without having to
worry.
When not in use, put your spices in an area that receives the lowest amount of light and heat.
Storing spices in lighted areas or warm areas can reduce their length of freshness. Storing your
spices in a cool location far from direct sunlight will help them last longer and taste better. You'll
taste the difference in your dishes.
A good tip when cooking with oil is to put it on the sides of the pan so it's already hot when it slides
down into the food. The flavor will be greatly enhanced when it has completed cooking.
When seasoning meats, try a little piece before cooking the entire thing. Foods such as meatballs,
meatloaf and hamburgers too all require delicate seasoning. Hold off on cooking the entire dish until
you have checked the seasoning. Just cook a small piece formed into a patty. Once you like the way
this piece comes out, you can cook the rest.
If you are left with extra sauce after a meal, find a clean ice cube tray to pour the leftovers into and
store the tray in the freezer. All you need to do next time you want to use it, is reheat in a saucepan.
The sauce is still good after it is frozen.
When you store some ingredients, like flour, baking mixes, and sugar, use airtight containers.
Containers that are airtight will help keep your foods fresh a lot longer because they aren't exposed
to air, while also keeping it safe from bugs. You can purchase them at many places, and they are
well worth the money.
You need to soak wooden skewers in water for approximately thirty minutes prior to using them.
This will prevent them from burning while you are cooking. If you have issues with food falling off
skewers, make it a double. Food is much more stable when you use two skewers parallel from one
another instead of one.

2. Track how much cooking oil you use. Avoid pouring oil directly from the bottle to the pan when you
cook, as this will allow you to lower your consumption of fat. You will also be able to monitor how
much oil you will be using.
Buy fresh cloves of garlic and mince them yourself for use in recipes. Garlic is normally sweeter
when it is fresh. You can tell that garlic is fresh when it isn't bruised, mushy or shriveled. The skin
should be firm.
Before you begin to cook, you must make sure that your kitchen utensils are clean. Bits of food on
your utensils could contaminate the dish you are cooking. This can cost you a lot because it might
cause bacteria to spread.
Homemade stock can add flavor to many dishes. It is possible to utilize resealable bags to store any
excess in the freezer if you prepare large quantities. This ensures that tasty, homemade stock is
always available when the time comes to prepare soups and other recipes. Homemade soup stock or
bullion is a wonderful way to eliminate high sodium and preservatives that are present in
commercially made products from your diet.
Add a little salt to your cutting board whenever you are slicing up some herbs. This will add some
flavor and the herbs will stay on the board. Just make sure you don't add salt to your dish afterwards
as the herbs already contain it. The salt used on the board provides that extra bit of flavor by
sticking to the herbs.
When sauteing food, don't put too much oil in the pan. The moisture that the extra food volume adds
will cause the food to steam, which means it won't be as crispy as intended. This should also be done
at a lower temperature.
Keep close watch when baking to avoid under cooking or overcooking a cake. The times that they
recommend for cake baking can be wrong due to several factors. To be sure, test your cake by
inserting a toothpick in the cake's middle. If no undone cake batter remains on the toothpick, you
can consider it ready.
Double up by setting a watch timer in addition to the oven timer. Timers can be found anywhere,
ranging from your watch to your phone, so you probably have one available, and you can always get
a simple stopwatch to carry with you.
Add some spices to your dishes once they've been cooked. Spices, such as red pepper, garlic, or salt,
are excellent for flavoring, but don't necessarily need to be used during the meal's preparation.
Everyone has their own individual tastes regarding spices. Instead of adding spices and herbs to
each dish during preparation, allow your fellow diners to customize their food with a variety of
seasonings. This way, everyone can make the dish truly theirs.
To improve your cooking skills, it is important that you learn as much as you can. The following tips
can help you become a better cook, no matter how many people you are cooking for.